


How to Make a Fish

by BearBait



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Clarke learns about nature, F/F, F/M, Highschool to College, M/M, More tags to be added, My First Fanfic, Slow Burn, bear with me here, lexa is too precious, the title will make sense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-05-13 04:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19244059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BearBait/pseuds/BearBait
Summary: When Clarke discovers that Finn had been cheating on her, she escapes to the mountains to get away for a day. There she meets Lexa, and quickly discovers that her life will not be the same ever again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I am new to writing fanfic, so I hope y'all enjoy my work. Feel free to leave any critiques, good or bad.

            The room flashed bright white as lightning illuminated the whole neighborhood, reminding the residences that although it was only three PM, the sky was dark and angry. Thunder constantly rolled in the distance accompanied with the pattering of rain, allowing little time for silence. Clarke sat on her bed in the darkness, with only the occasional flashing of light to keep her company. Spread out in front of her laid a crumpled heap of dresses; too short, too pink, too flowy, not quite perfect. She was only in her underwear with three hours left to find something decent to wear, apply makeup, and gather enough courage to leave her room. Except all her dresses were on the floor and wrinkled.

            Clarke sighed and dropped her head onto her arms, bringing her knees close to her chest. This was useless, and she knew it. Three hours until her date arrived to pick her up. Three hours until the start of prom. All evening of her watching him like a hawk, suspicious of every action he will make, and hoping that the nasty feeling she has in the pit her stomach was wrong. Finn was not cheating on her, she had nothing to worry about. Yet her dresses laid on the floor.

            Blinding light flooded her room once again, quickly followed by a loud, piercing _crack_.

           “Ahh, fuck it.” Clarke grumbled into her arms.

           In the darkness she grabbed a random dress off the floor and walked to her mother’s room. Knowing her perfectionist mother, she would have a de-wrinkle spray placed within easy reach on a shelf in her closet. Thirty minutes later the dress was mostly wrinkle free, with a small stain on the back due to it being on the floor. It didn’t matter though, as Clarke had a feeling that she would not be in it for long.

~

            The rain had stopped, and Finn was late. He arrived a little after 6:30, gave Clarke his signature charming smile, and presented her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers at her doorstep. Clarke smiled at him in return and took the flowers from him.

            “You’re late.”

            “Sorry love, I was making sure I looked my best tonight for you.” He gave her that charming smile, the smile that use to send butterflies aflutter in her stomach. Now it disgusted her, but she didn’t let it show on her face.

            “The dinner reservations?”

            “Ahh, yeah, about that. How about after prom? Considering how we are already late and missed our reservation.”

            “So, you knew you will be late, and didn’t call to reschedule?”

            Finn rolled his eyes. “Babe, Polaris is the fanciest restaurant in the county, and it took me two months in advance to get this reservation. If we missed it, there is no chance we can go tonight. How about this, we go to your favorite place instead. That little diner you always spend time in.”

            “Papa Murphy’s you mean?”

             “Yeah, that one!” He gave her a smile and shook his shoulders, obviously proud of himself for the new dinner arrangement.

            Except Clarke had never eaten at Polaris and ate at Papa Murphy’s every Friday after school. She was really looking forward to going to Polaris and felt the disappointed wash over her body. Clarke schooled her features and gave him a smile and nod of her head, hoping it looked sincere. “Perfect.”

            “Now where is my kiss?” Finn stepped forward and kissed Clarke. She hoped her return kiss did not feel forced.

            On the drive to their school where the prom was being held, Clarke realized that they will be one of the first couples there. She had hoped to arrive at least an hour late to avoid the awkwardness of the start of prom, and to arrive when the room is packed with people. It was easier to escape Finn unnoticed if needed, and it was easier to watch him with so many distractions that he may, if only for a moment, forget that she was there.

            Prom had officially started, and they were the first car to arrive. When Clarke made no move to leave the car, Finn leaned over the center console and spoke in her ear. “The sooner we finish prom, the sooner we get out of there.” He winked at her, and Clarke’s stomach churned at the thought of his suggestion.

            She smiled. “Of course.” Clarke did not think she could give one more fake smile that night.

            Inside, they were met with about half a dozen couples already on the dancefloor, awkwardly dancing with no one else around them. Clarke assumed that they did not have cars of their own and were dropped off by one of their parents as soon as the auditorium opened. She felt sorry for them. Finn took her hand and lead them to the photobooth, with a very bored looking photographer mindlessly photographing another awkward looking couple. When it was their turn she gave the camera her best charming smile, playfully kissed Finn’s cheek, made silly faces with him, and pretended she wasn’t disgusted on the inside.

            On the dancefloor Finn stayed close to her, very close. Both hands were always on her, his breath tickling her skin. She knew he was talking to her, but the words never registered in her brain. Clarke never minded tight spaces, but she started to feel claustrophobic and anxious. Only a few more couples had joined them on the dancefloor, yet it felt like everything and everyone was around her, touching her. Clarke did not know how long they danced and how long she pretended to enjoy it. She sighed a relief when a large group of popular couples and some singles came into the auditorium. Finn immediately apologized and left her to join with some of his friends with a big smile on his face.

           In Finn’s absence Clarke was able to see more of the room and noticed that it had quickly become filled with people. Taking opportunity of the newly opened buffet line, she went straight towards the punch bowl and quickly downed two cups of the cold liquid. Immediately she felt lighter, cooler, and relaxed. She scanned the room for Finn. Now was her time to watch. When she spotted him, Clarke refilled her cup and found a secluded corner of the room where no one would notice her. One of the boys in the Finn’s group asked Finn a question, which apparently had been about the whereabouts of Clarke’s location as Finn gave a lazy point of where he had left her on the dance floor. She watched as the group slowly made their way to where Finn indicated, only to be interrupted by the distraction of additional people to their group.

          Clarke was reminded and for the first time grateful that he was the star quarterback of the school’s winning football team, and everyone wanted to be near him and talk to him. He loved it, soaked up all the attention and once again forgot he was at prom with Clarke. She was considered popular, sure, but only because of all the extracurricular activities she attended after school and all the awards she had won in those activities. Everyone knew Clarke because she was involved with a lot of groups. Everyone knew Finn because he was the quarterback of the state’s best football team.

         “There you are.”  A voice pulled Clarke from her observations. It was her best friend, Octavia Blake. “What are doing here, hiding from everyone?” Octavia gave her a concerning, questioning look.

         Clarke looked back towards Finn’s group. She figured she might as well come clean to her friend. “Watching Finn’s cheating ass.”

         Octavia gasped in surprised and moved closer to Clarke, looking over the room for Finn. When Clarke pointed to where he was, Octavia narrowed her eyes. “Who did he do?”

         “Saw him kissing Becca yesterday after school. Under the football stadium bleachers.”

         “Very original. Who’s Becca?”

         “Cheerleader.”

         “Classic.”

         Octavia started to look around the room. “What does she look like?”

         “No, I don’t care anymore. Earlier today I thought I needed more evidence to convince myself that he was cheating on me, but I feel nothing but disgust around him.” Clarke paused a moment. “Heck, I may just leave right now. He won’t notice for another hour.”

         “Clarke –”

         “What? He never noticed.”

         “You need to extract revenge! You are amazing and clearly he is a dumbass, you can’t just leave and pretend nothing happened.”

         “Yes, I can, and I will. I should have seen all the signs earlier. I just want to it to be over.”

         “Don’t be too hard on yourself, the two of you have only been dating for five months.”

         “And during those five months he never knew the name of the diner I always eat at on Fridays.”

         Octavia nodded. “Well, yeah but –”

         “And he always wanted to have sex, no matter how many times I keep telling him I wanted to wait until college.”

         Octavia grimaced. “Ugh.”

        “And the rumors of him being a playboy. I thought that was what people say about quarterbacks and star players. But now I know them to be true.”

         The two girls remained quiet for a while. Unlike Clarke, Octavia could not hide her frown and death glare on Finn. “All from a secrete kiss.” She whispered. Clarke nodded.

        “Clarke! Octavia! Hey guys, I found them!” Tom, one of the players on the football team, yelled across the room. It felt as though all eyes turned towards the girls, and the sea of people parted ways to allow Finn and his group to come towards them.

         Finn sauntered his way towards Clarke, wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close towards his body. “There you are babe,” he kissed her on the cheek. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

        “Sure, you have.” Octavia mumbled.

        Clarke sighed and pushed Finn off her. “You barely noticed I was gone. Is that Becca looking over at you?” She motioned with a tilt of her head towards the cheerleader, who was clearly eyeing Finn.

        “Who?” Finn casually replied, without even looking towards Becca.

        “I know Finn. How many before her?”

        “What?” He stood back with his hands on his hips. “Babe, come on, I would never.” He laughed it off and looked around his group, who laughed with him. He knew how to play the crowd.

        “It’s over Finn. I don’t give cheaters a second chance.”

         At that, Finn’s face got red and he leaned towards Clarke’s direction. “No, it’s not. So, what, it was a one-time thing. If you weren’t such a nun, I wouldn’t have. Come on babe, work with me here.”

        “Oh boy.” Octavia muttered as she stood to be in front of Clarke. By now they had the attention of all of Finn’s posse. “Leave her alone you cheat-bag jackass.”

         Clarke was full of rage and hurt and found she could not speak. She did not need to though. Clarke placed a gentle hand on Octavia’s shoulder and started to walk away from Finn, from the innocent relationship she thought they had. She wanted to cry, she wanted to shout and scream and punch something. Instead she walked with Finn yelling behind her, “you bitch! If you –”

         She didn’t get to hear the last of his words her ears began to pound, and heart began to beat faster. It took all the strength she had to keep on walking, despite all the curious looks and not so hushed whispers behind her back. So much for a quiet escape.

        “Fuck him.” Octavia said beside her. Clarke did not realize her friend followed her and was at her side, nonetheless she was grateful.

        “No thanks. But yeah, fuck him.”

        They made it to the doors, and as soon as they stepped foot outside lightning flashed and thunder rolled. Rain began to pour hard down on the girls.

         Clarke stopped after taking a couple more steps and shouted towards the sky. Octavia could not hear what Clarke was saying as the thunder and rain continued to roar around them, but she knew. She knew what and who Clarke was yelling at.

           “Shit, I’m glad I’m single.” Octavia muttered to herself.

~

            The next day Clarke slept in.

            After the events from the previous night she and Octavia walked home in the pouring rain. Octavia hardly said a word, knowing Clarke needed to vent. The rain and thunder were her canvas as she vented to them, either yelling, walking fast, or just standing. Once home at Clarke’s, the girls quietly dried off and changed, ordered too much pizza, sat in front of the TV, and watch movies. After the first box was demolished, the friends were laughing until their stomachs hurt.

            “Thanks Octavia. I feel so much better.”

            “No problem. I just expect you to do the same if that shit ever happens to me.”

            Clarke laughed. “I don’t know what came over me tonight. Sorry I made you walk in the rain.”

            Octavia gave her a big, warming smile. “Anytime.”

            After three or four more movies, they fell asleep on Clarke’s bed, too full to stay awake.

            When Clarke eventually woke up, the sun decided to show itself to the world with blinding rays of light through the blinds. She groaned and cursed the sun for being up too soon as she sank deeper into her sheets.

            “Wakey wakey!” In barged her mother, too happy with too much energy in the morning. “Octavia just left for work. Poor girl, I think she’s gonna be late but refused a ride to work. Anyways she told me all that happened last night as she was scarfing down the pancakes I made for you and I.”

            Abby briefly paused to place something on her dresser. “Now get up you lazy bum.”

            “No,”

            “Yes.”

            “No.”

            Abby sighed. “Fine.”

            Silence. _Oh no,_ Clarke thought just before the sheets were pulled away. The sun once again said good morning to Clarke in an unpleasant manner.

            “Now, eat.” Her mother placed the tray of food into her lap and handed her a glass of orange juice. “Sorry that you only have one pancake, Octavia ate most of them and there’s no more batter left.”

            Even though there was one pancake, her plate was overflowing with eggs slathered with cheese, and a rather large pile of bacon. Abby never made them this much food. Clarke looked up at her mother and immediately gave her a hug. “Thanks, mom.”

            Abby hugged her daughter back, tightly. “He’s lucky Jake isn’t here, or we’d deal with the police and a homicide investigation.”

            Clarke choked back a sob. Despite her father being gone for over a year, Clarke and her mother manage and hide their pain by making over exaggerated jokes about her father. He was the gentlest and kindest of people, who would never kill a spider or lay a hand on a person. If Jake was here, he would never hurt Finn, scare him most definitely, but never hurt.

            “Eat.” Abby demanded after a long hug and moved to the foot of the bed. “How are you feeling?”

            “I thought you said for me to eat.” Clarke said between bites.

            Abby raised her hands in surrender. “I have a big surgery operation early afternoon, and it might take a while. You OK being by yourself today?”

            Clarke nodded. She wasn’t looking forward to it, but she knew her mother couldn’t reschedule her patient’s surgery for another day. She was the best spine surgeon in the state and took the cases that most other spine specialists would rather not touch.

            “Good. Perhaps a long walk will do you good, or some shopping. Just promise me you won’t stay cooped up here in this house eating ice cream all day long.”

            Clarke nodded.

            “It will get better, I promise.” Abby rubbed her daughter’s foot over the covers.

            “Thanks mom. I am feeling better, truly.”

            Both women nodded at each other. Abby was not good at giving motherly advice or being around often enough to be a mother, but she tried. Clarke understood that her mother showed love and support through action more than words, and this action of her being here with food and energy was Abby’s way of saying, “I love you, and I’m here for you. You got this, and you will pull through. Finn is a fleabag.”

            “Good. Now I need to leave before I become like Octavia and be late for work.” Her mother looked at her watch. “Shit.”

            Abby quickly got up, kissed Clarke on top of her head, gave her a quick hug, and dashed out the door with a “Love you! Call if you need anything!”

            Clarke laughed. “Love you too!” She yelled back.

            In truth, Clarke was feeling better, but she knew the pain of betrayal and lies will come back if she stays here thinking about Finn. She decided that a walk would be nice and trying something new she’d never done before would help keep her mind off Finn.

            After finishing breakfast, she pulled up her laptop, googled the nearest National Forest and the map of hiking trails. “Perfect.”

~

            It was not perfect. This was why she never stepped foot on this forest before, despite it being a 45-minute drive from her house. This was why she hated exercise. It should be too early in the year for mosquitos, and too late in the year for the trails to be muddy, but here she was, her face itching with mosquito bites and her sneakers and socks covered in mud. And the elevation. The maps did not prepare Clarke about the elevation gain. She also swears that whoever made this trail does not look after it, and she was certain that a couple of times she was lost and not on the trail until she accidently stumbled upon it again.

            “Keep going Clarke, you got this. You can take a break at the top of this hill.” She huffed and forced her quaking legs to keep going.

Once she got to the top of the hill, she leaned against a tree and tried to get her breath back, ignoring the flurry of birds that scattered from her presence. Though she quickly realized that the although the trail briefly went downhill, there was a longer, steeper climb ahead of her. “Fuck.”

            “Hey, do you mind?” Clarke turned to find a young woman holding binoculars walking towards her. “Those were spotted towhees! You just spooked them off.”

            “Um, sorry? I didn’t know.”

            The other girl sighed and gathered her backpack that was laying on the ground. That was when Clarke noticed that the girl was dressed appropriately for the hike; real shoes, hat, and clothing and backpack that looked like it was built for this hike. She was also lean and appeared to be in shape, with a tanned skin from being outside.

            “It’s alright, I’m sorry.” The other girl said. “I’m not use to seeing other people on this trail. People tend to avoid it because it is not well maintained, which is why I love this trail for bird watching.”

            “Uh huh.” Clarke said, looking around, half-expecting more birds to show up. “Good to know.”

            The other girl studied Clarke for a moment. “You alright?”

            “Yeah, just needed a breather.”

            “You didn’t bring water.” It was a statement, and Clarke flinched at her own stupidity.

            “Never thought this hike would turn out the way it did.”

            After a brief hesitation, the girl took off her backpack and grabbed her water bottle. “Here,” she said. “You can drink this. Have as much as you need.”

            Clarke readily accepted the drink and took a swig before almost gagging at the taste. “What is this?” She asked, glaring at the bottle suspiciously.

            “It’s carbonated electrolytes, lemonade flavor.” The girl laughed. “Way healthier for you than Gatorade. Go on, drink up. You need it.”

            After drinking about half the bottle, Clarke handed it back to her. “Thanks …”

            “Lexa.”

            “Thanks Lexa. Though I don’t think I can keep going on this trail.”

            “But you barely made it to the mile marker.” The other girl teased.

            “Ha.”

            “Don’t worry. After a few more hikes under your belt this trail will be like walking in thin air.”

            “This trail keeps getting worse doesn’t it.”

            “Into literal thin air. Max elevation of 11,000 feet.”

            “Damn.” Clarke immediately got light headed at the thought of that. She slowly sat down on the ground to stop her head from spinning and to ground herself. When she got her bearings, she saw a concerned Lexa kneeling before her. Her wild, untamable brown hair was tossed over one shoulder, her green eyes watching Clarke closely. Finding herself unable to keep staring at Lexa, Clarke looked down and noticed that she was sitting a pile of mud.

            “Please tell me all the trails aren’t this muddy.”

            “Well, we did have a massive storm yesterday.”

            “Right.”

            “Here, finish it.” Lexa gave Clarke the bottle back. “But drink it slower, take your time. We are in no rush.”

            “So, you come out here often?” Clarke asked after taking two more swigs, slowly.

            “Almost every weekend.”

            “Damn.”

            Lexa laughed. “I feel more comfortable out here than in the city. Plus, I like to get away from people.”

            “Yeah, I guess that’s why I’m out here too. To get away for a while.”

            Lexa nodded. “Drink.”

            Clarke took a small sip, grimacing at the flat carbonation of the drink.

            They were silent for a while. Lexa enjoying the cool mountain breeze with her eyes closed, and Clarke studying Lexa. There was just something about her that felt familiar.

            When Lexa opened her eyes and she looked at Clarke. “Out of curiosity, what grade did you get in that chemistry test? That test was a bastard.”

            “What?” Asked Clarke, shocked.

            “Chemistry. Test. Last week. Mrs. Hubbard’s class.”

            “Uh, 91?”

            “Darn, I got an 87. Studied really hard for that too.”

            “Wait, you go to Arkadia High as well?”

            Lexa laughed. Clarke thought she would never tire of hearing that laugh. “I do. I am in two of your classes. Biology is the other class we share.”

            Clarke looked at Lexa in shock. “Huh.”

            “Don’t worry if you don’t know who I am, I sit in the back and keep to myself. Don’t think I ever spoke out in any of those classes, actually.”

            “Wow, I’m so sorry.” Clarke ducked her head in shame. How did she not recognize one of her classmates?

            “Hey, hey, no worries. I actually prefer it if people don’t know who I am.”

            “Well, Lexa, I’m glad to have finally met you.”

            “Likewise, Clarke. Well, officially, I guess. Everyone knows you.”

            Clarke blushed. “Yeah, if there was a person who didn’t know who I was before will know me now after this weekend.”

            Lexa titled her head to the side in confusion, but she didn’t press Clarke further. “Drink,” she said instead.

            Clarke grimaced, prepared herself, and finished the bottle. “Alright, think I’m ready to keep going.”

            “Not on this trail, you are. Here, let me take you to an … to a better trail. It actually overlooks a small natural lake and ends with a nice picnic table.”

            “Oh, that sounds wonderful.”

            Lexa beamed. “Great! Let’s go.” She lifted her backpack again and helped Clarke up with ease.

            Going downhill was probably as bad as going uphill in this steep terrain, and at the trailhead Clarke begged Lexa to let her rest her quaking thighs. Lexa went to where she parked her car next to Clarke’s at the trailhead and grabbed a couple of supplies to add to her backpack.

            “It’s better to walk to the other trailhead, as there isn’t parking available. But it’s not far. I grabbed extra food and water.”

            “Awesome, let’s go.”

            Although her thighs were protesting the small break in walking, Clarke eagerly followed the other girl. She might start to enjoy this hiking thing.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke discovers that nature is more than just hiking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments! Sorry it took me so long to post the new chapter. Enjoy!

Lexa really needed to reevaluate what ‘not far’ means. ‘Nat far’ in Clarke’s dictionary meant ‘ten-minute walk, twenty maximum.’ In Lexa’s dictionary though, it apparently meant an hour. The elevation gain to the other trailhead was not as severe as the first trail, but that didn’t stop Clarke from heaving large gulps of air as her lungs felt like they were on fire. Her legs were quaking, sweat beaded down her forehead and back, and yet Lexa walked ahead as if she was strolling through a lazy city park. To be fair to Lexa, it probably was a twenty-minute hike, extended only to allow Clarke to rest and drink water. 

They did not talk much as they walked. Between haggard breathes and silently cursing Lexa, Clarke was able to look around at her scenery. Tall trees towered above them, allowing little light to penetrate the road they were walking on. Birds chirped and fluttered as they walked by, and fearless squirrels dashed out and around the massive tree trucks. Her ears started to ring with the constant high pitched chzee-dzee-dzee of the birds. Her view also allowed her to study Lexa, with her back straight and long legs easily propelling her forward. Although Clarke could not see her eyes, she could tell Lexa was constantly looking everywhere, her head slowly moving side to side, up and down, scanning and soaking up the sights and sounds of the forest. 

Clarke could tell that Lexa was used to walking at a much faster pace, but was mindful and considerate of Clarke, of which Clarke was thankful for. Except for the supposedly ‘not far’ trailhead Lexa suggested.

In her study of Lexa, Clarke did not realize that they had left the forest road and started up a narrow trail. She was pulled from her thoughts when Lexa asked without turning around, “You good, or do you need a break?”

“Oh my God yes.” Clarke breathed and sat down on a large fallen tree. Lexa chuckled and sat by her, handing over a Nalgene water bottle for Clarke. 

“This is a short trail, pretty flat. Should reach the lake in about thirty minutes.”

Clarke gave her a side glance and raised an eyebrow. 

“Ok, forty-five minutes. But it is flat, promise.” Lexa gave her a warm, encouraging smile. 

If it was any other day, Clarke would have called it quits a long time ago. Maybe it was her breakup with Finn, stress from school and college applications, or a stranger who is giving her that smile that prompted her to keep going. She nodded her head and stood up.

The trail was indeed flat with its lazy turns and gentle hills. Clarke found herself catching her breath, and in doing so enjoyed the peaceful serenity of the trail. Here the trees were taller and more impressive, their limbs high over their heads. Smaller trees struggled to compete for the little sunlight available under their predecessor’s shadows while they compete for land space with the thick thicket of thorny bushes. The cacophony of the birds was louder too, though she could not see them. She almost got lost in their music with the backdrop of the impressive trees, as if they were blending in with each other to create this beautiful visual and audio artwork. And then, there was the lake. 

There was no warning that it was going to be there, as if the trees decided to suddenly part ways to reveal a small, precious gem. The water was clear blue with a tint of green, without a ripple of movement on its glass-like surface. Protecting the lake was a grand show of granite mountain, patches of snow lingering on its face as it towered over the lake, a perfect reflection on the lake’s surface. Clarke stood there with her mouth slightly agape, her brain trying to process this beauty. No picture could do it justice.

The two girls stood there together, silently looking out the scenery before them. It took Clarke a few minutes to be able to speak again. “This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

She looked over at Lexa, who had a small smile. “Just wait till you see the other lakes in this forest.”

“There’s more?”

Lexa laughed. “There are so many lakes and breathtaking views here. I have yet to see them all.”

“I want to,” Clarke whispered to herself.

“Come on,” Lexa said. “If I remember right the picnic table is just down here.”

When they reached the table Lexa immediately started to unpack the food from her backpack. At the sight of the sandwiches Clarke’s stomach started to growl. She chastised herself for only bringing a couple of granola bars. Without asking, Lexa handed her half of a sandwich. Clarke gratefully accepted the lunch and ate the sandwich while looking over at the lake. Neither spoke for several minutes, both content with the silence that the forest provided amidst the grandiose beauty before them. 

Clarke wished she had brought her sketchpad with her, but in her haste to pack and leave the house it was left sitting on her desk. She wanted to capture its beauty, how the sunlight reflects off the water surface and into the mountain face, how the air was still and calm and yet refreshing at the same time. She took out her phone instead; it was better than nothing. She got up and went closer to the lake, taking pictures of everything she saw. The strange red plant growing big and tall from the ground. The yellow delicate flower growing from the soft earth. The slightest of ripples in the water after a fish swam by. How the mountain face contrasted to the gem-like lake. A panorama that captured everything. So lost was she in her pictures that all thoughts of Lexa left her. It was just Clarke and the small lake. 

Finally, Clarke made it to the water’s edge, and marveled how deep and clear it was. She kneeled and gasped when her hand touched the icy cold water. A slight chuckle escaped her chest, and before she knew it, she was laughing. 

“What is so funny?”

Clarke leaned back on her heels and looked up at the blue bird sky. “Is it possible for your heart to explode from such beauty?”

It was Lexa’s turn to laugh. “Yes. It happens every now and then.”

“You come out here every weekend?”

“Just about.”

“Can I join you?”

Clarke’s back was still facing the other girl, so she missed the surprised look on Lexa’s face. A small smile appeared, and with a shaky voice Lexa answered, “of course.”

Clarke turned to look at her with a big smile spread across her face. 

~

The hike back to the cars was short with bittersweet happiness. Clarke knew she was happy to have seen the lake and hear the birds. Without a doubt, she would be back and come better prepared. But she had to leave the lake and the trail in order to come back, a fact that made this day bittersweet. It was mid-afternoon by the time they made it to their cars.

“Thank you, Lexa, for today. And for saving my dehydrated stupid ass.”

Lexa chuckled and looked down at her shoes. “It was no problem.” She mumbled. 

“Next weekend?” Clarke asked, a hopeful lilt in her question.

Lexa looked up at Clarke. “Remember seeing the Forest sign and the building on the drive in?”

Clarke nodded.

“Meet me there Saturday morning at seven.”

“Seven!”

“Or I can pick you up from your house at six if that is too early for you to drive.”

“Why so early Lexa?”

“Nature waits for no one, Clarke.”

“Fine. Not an acceptable answer, but you are my Forest guide and protector of my hydration.”

Lexa tossed her head back in laughter. Clarke could not help but to stare at Lexa, with her wild hair tossed around her shoulders, her laughter shaking her body. It made Clarke want to laugh too. 

“See you around, Clarke.” Lexa said after they were quiet for moment. 

“Yeah, see you.”

After a brief hesitation, both girls got in their respected cars, and started the long drive down the mountain. Clarke smiled when she noticed that Lexa left the parking lot after her so that she could follow her down the mountain, as if to make sure she made it down to the valley safely. When they came to the first stop light in forty minutes, one girl turned left and the other turned right. 

~

It only took Clarke about twenty minutes to remember to take her phone off airplane mode when she was home. Her phone came to life with constant buzzing from text messages and voicemails, which left its owner to stare at it in amazement and wonder. “Wow, when I’m in the mountains for one day, everyone wants to talk to me.”

She proceeded to ignore the conservations waiting for her attention in favor of uploading the photos she took onto her laptop. She spent the next ten minutes looking through every photo. She could not believe that she was there, in that location, only earlier in the day. A spontaneous trip to the mountains and forest to forget about Finn, only to be met with sights she could not believe existed so close to her. 

Finn. Her mini adventure worked after all. All thoughts of him left her mind the moment she started to hike up that ungodly, terrible trail. As if on cue, her phone buzzed again. Clarke looked down and saw Finn’s name appear across her screen. Sixteen text messages and four voicemails. 

She knew she should not open the messages. She knew it would be a mistake. She sucked in a large gulp of air and opened them.

I’m so sorry baby, it was one time. Forgive me.

I said I’m SORRY

Oh come on, you cant keep holding this over my head. Mistakes happen babe. You aren’t perfect you know

You know what, I needed it. You wont let me touch you you prude. A man has needs and if you wont give them I will go somewhere else. But you are still mine, Clarke. You cant blame me

Hey you wanna go to the movies this weekend and go on a dinner date 😉

You are going out with me. I have an image to uphold and you are still my girlfriend. You made an embarrassment of me last night. Did you think how that made me feel? Its not all about you Clarke.

Wear that blue dress of yours on our date

Clarke could not keep reading through her blind haze of fury and teary eyes. She deleted all of his messages and unheard voicemails, deleted and blocked his number, and tossed her phone to the other side of the room. The sun was still shining through her blinds, but that did not stop the girl from falling fast sleep, so tired was her brain of Finn, and her sore body from hiking helped to pull the thick curtain of sleep over her eyes. She would have to deal with Finn in the morning at school.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is the first day back at school after prom for Clarke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two weekends in a row with internet access? This is amazing. 
> 
> Thanks again to everyone for the kudos and comments, and for reading my story. I should note that it has almost been 10 years since I've been in highschool (I'm ignoring the fact that I'm almost 30), so I apologize if the highschool scene seems outdated or inaccurate.

Everyone was staring and whispering, acting as though Clarke was both blind and deaf. She noticed the side-eyes and hushed conservations, she knew they were about her and Finn. Not knowing exactly what they were saying was what was bothering Clarke. Were the whispers blaming Clarke for Finn’s behavior? Were the glances pity or judgment for what had happened at prom?

 

Then there was Becca, who strolled down the hallway towards Clarke, her hips exaggeratedly swaying side to side, her chin pointed up, a knowing smirk. It was as if she won a prize, took it straight from Clarke’s grasping hands and is holding it high for everyone to see. Except Clarke did not want the prize, but that did not stop Clarke from feeling self-conscious and little under Becca’s glowing showiness. Becca can have Finn, nonetheless Clarke felt hurt and mad at herself.

 

Two classes passed in long agonizing minutes. Clarke did not retain any information, despite her best efforts to focus. Her head was clouded with negative thoughts and body heavy with… what is it really? Soreness? Regret, shame, sadness? Clarke did not know really, just knew that her body was heavy like lead.

 

Third class, chemistry. Clarke immediately went straight to class and sat in her desk. _Get a grip, Griffin._ She had to pay attention for this class because she knew the next test will be a big, mean one. She could not afford to lose focus for one day. She rubbed her face with her hands and took in a series of deep and long breaths, trying to regain her composure and to some degree, a working sense of a brain. Just before the bell rang a figure dashed in and made a beeline to the back of the classroom. Clarke instantly recognized Lexa, her hair in neat, organized braids. Instead of hiking clothes she wore black jeans and a band shirt. Instead of a lightweight hiking backpack and binoculars, she wore a messenger bag and was holding two textbooks. They made eye contact, and Lexa’s eyes instantly lit up. She smiled and nodded towards Clarke before passing by her. Clarke’s mood changed from night to day.

 

How could she forget about the lake? How could she had forgotten about Lexa and the forest? That was when the teacher decided to start the class, and Clarke found that her brain had finally decided to be productive. She took several pages worth of notes and understood most of what was happening during that class. Lexa left the class as soon as the bell rang.

 

 

Fourth class. Finn came into the classroom and smirked at Clarke. She tried to not to look at him, but he came over anyways.

 

“Hey babe. Still on for that date?”

 

“We are over Finn.”

 

“We are over when I say we are over. I –”

 

“Get lost Finn.” Octavia said when she sat next to Clarke. She gave him a dagger stare, which made Finn briefly lose his words and composure. He quickly recovered and turned towards Clarke. “We will talk after school.”

 

“Like hell we are.”

 

Lunch. More whispers and not so sly glances. Clarke sat on her usual lunch seat with her closest friends. Octavia always sat on her right and Raven always sat her left, and then there was Monty and Jasper who always sat across from the girls. They would usually talk about the latest debate club topics, or the gossip that was always somehow centered around French Club. Today though, her friends tried to huddle together to block unwanted glances towards Clarke’s direction.

 

“Why is it such a big deal that I broke up with Finn? Why can’t people just get along with their daily lives!” Clarke huffed in annoyance after a group of cheerleaders walk past, giving Clarke a weird and curious look.

 

“Because their lives are so boring, they have to live vicariously through yours.” Raven said between mouthfuls of fries _and_ burger.

 

“Ignore them Clarke. This is the first school day after a public breakup. Give it three days and they will forget all about it.” Octavia was more helpful.

 

“I hope so. God, I hope so.”

 

She tried to look for Lexa in the lunchroom but could not see the other girl. After a while Clarke gave up and figured Lexa had an earlier lunch than her. She was soon distracted when raven plopped down a massive roll of paper that almost covered their entire table, effectively spilling Monty’s milk across the table. Raven ignored his glare.

 

“Look at my latest invention …” She was soon lost and confused by the latest ‘invention’ of Raven’s that simply looked like a complicated web of gears and pulleys with the goal of creating yet another, explosion.

 

Sixth and last class. Biology. Clarke remembered Lexa saying that they had this class together, and once again Lexa arrived just before the bell. In her hands were two different textbooks, and her messenger bag was noticeably heavier. They smiled at each other before Lexa sat in her seat in the far back.

 

The class had just started on their last topic of the semester, which explored the Earth, ecosystems, and various ecologies of animals. Before her adventure in the forest Clarke would have rolled her eyes and treated this information as something else to memorize then forget. Not that day though. She was invested in the breeding habits of various animals as their instructor passionately talked and showed them videos and described their habitat.

 

Half way through the class the instructor handed out a thick packet to all the students. “Obviously, there are so many ecosystems and the ecology of animals so vast, it is impossible to describe them all. Yet these interactions are very dependent upon each other – the land relies on the animals living in it, and the animals rely on the land they live on. Your assignment is to pick a partner and select an animal to present to the class. Describe its ecology and the ecosystem it lives in. How does the animal depend on the land? How does the land depend on the animal? What role does that animal play in the ecosystem? However, I want you all to pick an animal that you have never heard of before. I don’t want another wolf – although their Yellowstone recovery story is remarkable – or another racoon, or a bear. Be unique with your animal choice. Mammals are not the only ones that exist. This packet contains everything you need and further instructions on your presentation criteria.”

 

After all packets had been handed out, he paused with his hands in the air, waiting for a dramatic breath of silence in the classroom. “And… go!”

 

The classroom became a mad scramble of people trying to get their desired project partner before someone else. Clarke remained fazed. She knew nothing about animals, nothing about nature. _Fuck me._ She was about to accept an already B-something grade at best for this assignment before she noticed a tall, slim figure slide into the recently vacated seat next to her.

 

“You look lost.”

 

“Lexa! My hero!” Clarke could have hugged Lexa right then and there. Who better to be partnered with on this assignment than this forest-hiking-bird nerd of a person?

 

Lexa laughed. “Yep, you are lost. You had the panicked look of a deer in headlights.”

 

“Can you please be my partner? Please?”

 

“As my solemn duty as your Forest guide, it will be my honor to be partners with you.” Clarke missed the slight blushing of Lexa’s neck and cheeks.

 

Clarke beamed at Lexa then started to thumb through the thick packet. Her smile quickly diminished when she saw all that the project entailed. “Wow, so much information required of us.”

 

“Describing animal-habitat interactions is never easy, Clarke.”

 

“I have nowhere to begin.”

 

Lexa whistled as she too looked through the packet. “Well, I suppose we could pick an ecoregion or ecosystem that we both like, then narrow down from there.”

 

Clarke gave her a blank look.

 

“You know, an area that we both find fascinating and interesting, then research what animals lives there. Then find the cutest non-mammal.”

 

“I know nothing about nature. Yesterday was my first exposure to the outdoors that doesn’t have concrete or steel buildings.”

 

It was as if a lightbulb had gone off in Lexa’s head. “We do live near a pretty cool national forest. We have both been there, and we could use our own experience of the forest for the project!”

 

“Cool. What animals live there?”

 

Lexa sat in deep thought. “There are a lot of birds, but I’m not interested enough to talk about one of them.” She thought out loud. “Of course, there are bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and deer, but I want a good grade, so it’s a no-go on those critters.”

 

Clarke smiled at Lexa’s term ‘critters.’ She was about to respond when the bell rang.

 

“What do you have going after school this week?” Clarke asked as she began to pack up her bag.

 

Lexa shrugged. “Band, mostly. We usually end around six if the director is being nice that day. Then I like to practice on my own whenever we don’t have rehearsals or sectionals.”

 

“Whoa, you play an instrument?”

 

“Yep.” Lexa smirked, which sent a strange feeling in the pit of Clarke’s stomach. “I play the bassoon.”

 

“The what?”

 

“Bassoon.”

 

Clarke shook her head. “Still no clue what that is.”

 

Lexa laughed and pulled out a small spiral from her bag. She wrote something on it before tearing off a page and handing it to Clarke.

 

“This is my schedule – end times will vary depending on Mr. Pike’s mood and how well we are playing – with my phone number and home address. We can meet there, or your house, or the library. Just send me a text whenever you are free, I know how busy your schedule can be.”

 

“Wow, you are very efficient and … organized.” Clarke mumbled as she took the slip of paper from Lexa’s fingers. “Wait, how do you know what my schedule is like?”

 

“You are in a lot of UIL activities, some of which a couple of my friends are in. Your intelligence and awards are hard to miss what with the school announcements, school newspaper, and what not.” Lexa blushed.

 

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Clarke frowned. “Sometimes I wish the whole school didn’t know who I am.” She grabbed her bag and made to leave the classroom. Lexa followed her. “Unlike you, the whole school only knows who I am because of, _him_.”

 

“Not necessarily. You were popular before you started dating, _him_.” This time, Clarke did notice how bitter the word _him_ sounded from her mouth and her grimace. Apparently, Lexa does not like Finn either.

 

“Thanks, Lexa.”

 

They made it to an intersection of the hallways when Clarke recalled Lexa’s schedule. She had band practice and Clarke had UIL Writing. Unfortunately, the school library would be closed before either girl would be finished with their extracurricular activity.

 

“Wanna meet at your house tonight? Whenever this Pike guy lets you poor band nerds free?”

 

Lexa playfully rolled her eyes at Clarkes ‘band nerds’ comment and answered, “sounds good.”

 

“Awesome.”

 

“Yeah.” Lexa whispered.

 

They stood in silence for a moment before someone shouted down the hall, “Lexa! Come on! You’re gonna be late for practice!”

 

“Shit!” A look of panic washed over the taller girl’s face. “Sorry Clarke, I got to go!”

 

Clarke laughed as she watched Lexa dash down the hall where the band room must be. Once again, Lexa took her mind off Finn and the drama surrounding him. She could not help but to watch the girl run down the hall and felt elated at the knowledge that she would see the girl again later that day.

 

“What the hell Clarke!” And then there was Finn, in her personal space blocking her view of Lexa, with an angry scowl on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who here also plays the bassoon? I was late to band practice once. I never made that mistake again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clexa start to know each other a little bit more

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all the kudos and comments. Hope y'all like this chapter.

“Finn, as I’ve told you already. It’s done and over with. You can’t control me like this.”

 

Finn ignored her and gestured towards where Lexa was already long gone. “What were you doing talking to a dyke?’  


Clarke was taken aback. “What?”

 

Finn sighed as if he’d told Clarke this a hundred times. “My image is important Clarke. I can’t have my girlfriend be seen talking to faggots.”

 

“Wow, first off, I’m not your girlfriend. Secondly, I can talk to whoever I want. Now, get the hint that. We. Are. Over.” She shoved past him and started walking down the hall in a brisk pace.

 

Finn was undeterred and easily caught up to her. “Don’t you walk away from me Clarke –”

 

“Oh my God Finn! I’m not your girlfriend anymore! Get over yourself and leave me alone!” Clarke yelled.

 

Her voice could get loud at times, and this was one of those times. It echoed down the hallways, catching the attention of all who heard. Silence echoed back up the hallways. Finn glanced around and noticed eyes looking back at him.

 

“Clarke, babe, let’s take this outside. Everyone is watch–”

 

“No. We are finished talking.”

 

Finn stood dumbfounded like a boy who just finally realized he got publicly dumped and was unsure how to act and regain his ego.

 

~

 

UIL season may be over, but that did not mean that practice for the next season could wait. It was another intense meeting with furious writing and mental wrangling of finding the hidden meaning behind the prompt. Clarke left brain dead from the meeting and looked forward to crashing in her bed as soon as she got home.

 

After her meeting with Lexa, that is. Nerves came back to Clarke at seeing Lexa, in Lexa’s house. She did not know why she felt nervous, so she blamed it on the emotional toll she had to deal with for the past couple of days.

 

_Wait,_ Clarke thought. _Didn’t Finn claim that Lexa was, gay?_

Lexa. Gay.

 

Clarke pondered those two words as she walked towards the school library, silently hoping it was still open. A strange feeling bubbled up inside Clarke. Was that, relief? Fear? Wait, Clarke was not homophobic, Raven came out to her and only to her and Octavia last year, and she loves Raven. Relief then – no, why would she be relieved that Lexa was gay?

 

“Your brain is too tired for this.” Clarke whispered to herself.

 

She reached the library and grunted when she saw the large ‘Closed’ sign hanging across the glass door. She looked down at her watch. Ten after six. Of course the library would be closed, but that also meant Lexa would be – theoretically – done with band practice. Clarke pulled out her phone and the piece of paper Lexa gave her, ignoring the light flutter and warmth in her chest.

 

_Clarke: This is Clarke. Has Pike released you nerds yet?_

Not knowing exactly where the band hall is, Clarke opted to wait for Lexa near the bleachers. Luckily it was too late in the year for football practice, and instead it was softball. Sometimes Clarke would sit at the bleachers to watch Octavia and Raven practice as she did homework or study, most of the time catching only the tail end of the session like today. She watched for a couple of minutes before her phone buzzed.

 

_Lexa: Us band nerds are free to roam the world once again. Where are you?_

_Clarke: Bleachers near the soccer field, though I can meet you wherever_

_Lexa: That’s close to the band hall. I will meet you in a few_

In exactly three minutes Lexa appeared besides Clarke, making her jump. “Dang, the band hall is super close.” She looked around as if she could suddenly notice the band hall after three years of sitting in these bleachers.

 

Lexa laughed and pointed to an obscure double door that perfectly blended in with the brick walls of the school. “Through those doors is where all the magic happens.”

 

“Fascinating.” Clarke then noticed that Lexa was carrying a rather large, black rectangular case. “Is that the – bastoon?”

 

“Bassoon. Yes.”

 

“Still no clue what that is.”

 

Shaking her head and playfully rolling her eyes, Lexa motioned her head towards the parking lot. “You ready to go?”

 

Clarke nodded, waved to her friends who were doing their cool down running lap, and followed Lexa to the parking lot.

 

“Do you mind if I ride with you? I usually walk to school.” Lexa asked.

 

“Of course. So, do you always walk to and from school carrying that – bassoon?”

 

“It’s great exercise. And it’s only a ten-minute walk.”

 

“Only a ten-minute walk.” Clarke mumbled under breath. She could never understand why Raven and Octavia were always running, and now she could not understand why Lexa wanted to walk so much. She preferred mind games and mental exercises, and any form or thought of physical activity was too much for her to comprehend. Why run when you could sit and read a great book?

 

The drive to Lexa’s house was a short one. It was a small but homey house, a simple one-story with its front yard packed with beautiful flowers and decorations. Red, pink, and purple crepe myrtles perfectly lined the walkway to the front door and clean-cut bushes framed the house and yard. On the right side of the house there was a series of cascading short, red brick walls, like stair steps but for plants. Each wall was lined with various plants and flowers, and a beautiful, ornate waterfall fountain was at the end of the last wall. Clarke could barley make out a Humpty Dumpty garden decoration sitting in the middle of the steps between the plants, safely situated far away from the edge. Plant pots and flower mulch beds filled the empty spaces of the yard.

 

It was obvious someone spent a lot of time and effort in keeping it up, but the result helped make Clarke feel like she was coming home. It was a busy front yard, but artistically done, and not overwhelming. Each plant, flower, and color were strategically placed. The inside was a lot like what Clarke expected it to be like from observing the front yard. Pictures lined the walls, house plants were strategically placed throughout, tasteful artwork and furniture helped fill whatever space was left. And it smelled _wonderful_ , and Clarke fell in love with the tiny house.

 

“Can I move into your house?”

 

“Yes!” The voice did not come from Lexa. “The only form of payment I receive is pulling weeds.”

 

“That’s my mom.” Lexa clarified for Clarke. “I brought a friend from school. We are working on a project together.” Lexa yelled back to the faceless voice.

 

“Is she staying for dinner?” Yelled back Faceless Voice.

 

Clarke briefly recalled her mother’s schedule – she would be late again, well beyond dinner time. As usual, their fridge was nearly empty. “Would it be okay?” She asked Lexa.

 

“What did she say?”

 

“She said yes, Mother.”

 

“That’s a sentence every mother wants to hear.”

 

Lexa blushed deep red at her mother’s words but did not get the chance to respond before Faceless Voice yelled out again, “dinner in thirty!”

 

“Thanks, Mom.” Lexa grumbled. “My room is this way.”

 

She led Clarke to the back of the house. Her room was tiny, though that did not stop the walls from being plastered with nature posters and pictures of wildlife and mountains. At least three candles were seen, which concerned Clarke as they were precariously close to the posters and piles of nature magazines. It was an organized mess of backpacks, trekking poles, and reusable water bottles of various shapes and colors wherever they would fit in the small room. Lexa’s room smelled like the forest. It was also not hard to notice the rainbow flag covering the tiny window, allowing a beautiful array of light coming into the room from the sun.

 

“Why so many backpacks and walking sticks?”

 

“I occasionally go on backpacking trips with a couple of my friends. They decided to leave their gear here as my house is always the meeting spot and where we redistribute our items.”

 

“You voluntarily camp out in the woods? Where there are bears and mountain lions?”

 

“Oh yes, you should join us on a trip.” Lexa was serious about her offer.

 

“One step at a time. Let’s just get me use to be around wild squirrels first before I sleep with bears and big cats.”

 

A big hearty laugh escaped from Lexa’s stomach. “It’s not the bears that you have to concerned about. Never trust that your camp and your car, is ever, nor will it ever no matter what you do, be safe from mice.”

 

It was Clarke’s turn to laugh. “Seriously?”

 

“They are determined little devils.” Lexa went over to her bed and deposited her messenger bag and bassoon case. “Once while on a trip, they chewed through the wires in my car. We had to spend an extra night in the mountains and miss class on Monday because we were not in cell service range and could not contact anyone. It was a whole ordeal, our parents freaked out and called a search and rescue party.”

 

Before Clarke could respond, Lexa continued. “Then there was another trip where a mouse _chewed_ his way through Lincoln’s _bear cannister_. His bear cannister! This thing is supposed to withstand the force of a curious bear, but the mouse got in and ate a good portion of his food. We had to turn back because Lincoln couldn’t eat anything that was left.”

 

“Even one of the backcountry ranger stations had to close down,” Lexa continued while she pulled out their biology project packet from her bag. “Because the mouse problem got so bad no matter how many traps and deterrents they put out, it became a health hazard. The mouse population in these mountains are positive for both hantavirus and the bubonic plague.”

 

‘Wait wait wait. The bubonic plague?”

 

“Yep, that same one.”

 

“Nope, never going camping, ever.”

 

“Don’t worry, it is so rare to get it. I think there was just one case of a hantavirus victim in the last ten years or so. But my point still stands: mice are worse than bears.”

 

“So, I suggest we use little monster rodents as our selected animal. They do their role for the land and ecosystem by keeping humans out of the forest. Perfect. We are done.”

 

Lexa chuckled and shook her head. She turned around to face Clarke, who almost lost her breath. Lexa was smiling, and the faint glow from the sunlight through the rainbow flag was shining gently on her braided hair and shoulders. In that moment Clarke swore that she was the most beautiful thing she had ever saw, even more beautiful than the mountain lake – well, just barely. She almost missed Lexa talking.

 

“Ha, ha. While I’m sure they play an important role in the ecosystem, we are not going to talk about mice.”

 

“Okay, okay.” Clarke took off her own backpack and pulled out her copy of the biology packet. When she made to join Lexa on her bed, she noticed the black case. “Can I see your bassoon?”

 

Lexa gave her a confused and curious look but shrugged and opened the case. It was an odd instrument indeed, which left Clarke confused and curious. It came in five parts, though it took Lexa no time to assemble it. It was a long, skinny, brown instrument that was almost as tall as Clarke. A complicated web of silver buttons and pads lined the entire length that covered and hide countless holes of various sizes. Whatever image Clarke had of what a bassoon looked like, it did not match with what was in front of her.

 

“That thing looks like an oversized cigarette and a rain-stick on steroids had a child, and this is that child.”

 

Lexa let out another hearty laugh, clearly not expecting Clarke’s reaction. And Clarke found herself admitting that she loved Lexa’s laugh, loved how often she laughed, and wanted her to keep laughing. Before she could stop herself, she asked, “can you play it for me?”

 

Lexa hesitated and looked uncertain. After a moment, she answered, “not today, my lips are pretty tired from playing at rehearsal. Maybe some other time?”

 

Clarke had a feeling that there was a different reason why Lexa did not want to play in front of her, but she let it go. She just hoped that one day Lexa would feel comfortable enough to let her hear her play.

 

“Of course.”

 

After putting her instrument away, they settled on the bed with Lexa’s computer, and started an internet search of animals calling their local national forest home. As usual, bears, mountain lions, deer, coyotes, racoons, skunks, marmots, wolverines, and various other mammals were quickly listed. Lexa skipped the bird list, which surprised Clarke.

 

“I enjoy finding and identifying them and learning fun facts about the birds, but I have no interest or desire to go beyond that.” Clarke quickly agreed with Lexa.

 

From there, the list was useless. Some people post about a rattlesnake spotted on one of the blogs, others bragged that they saw a mountain king snake near 10,000 feet in elevation. Clarke, having a fear of snakes, refused to select a snake as one of their animals, despite Lexa claiming that “mountain king snakes are the most badass of snakes, Clarke.”

 

There was a small fish list. Rainbow, brook, cutthroat, and brown trout. “Very boring.” Lexa said.

 

“I think we just ran out of options Lexa.”

 

Lexa sighed and looked over the entire list of animals that they have compiled from various sources.

 

“Dinner!” Yelled out Faceless Voice.

 

Both girls immediately got up, Clarke followed the taller girl into the kitchen. That was when the smell hit her, and it was the most amazing smell Clarke had ever smelled coming from a kitchen. Setting a large casserole dish onto the table, was the source of the faceless voice. Lexa’s mom was not what she had imagined to look like.

 

Her skin was dark, compared to Lexa’s tanned skin. She was short, around Clarkes height, compared to Lexa’s tall figure. And her face looked to have been carved from stone, so deeply set were her facial features and her frown. Yet as soon as she noticed the girls the biggest smile Clarke had ever seen easily broke the stony face, and in its place was a warm ray of sunshine and genuine happiness.

 

“I made manicotti!” Her voice was deep, but welcoming and friendly.

 

“Yes,” Lexa exclaimed. “Mom’s manicotti is the best.” She told Clarke.

 

Indeed, it was the best. Clarke could not remember the last time she tasted something so delicious, felt so full, and not able to move because of the food. There was not much of a conversation between the three women, as they were all too busy in savoring the delicious dish.

 

After Clarke finally finished her last bite, Lexa’s mother beamed at her. “I hope you saved room for blueberry cobbler!”

 

Luckily, Lexa came to her rescue again. “Oh, my goodness Mother. Wait a few minutes before dessert. I can’t think with this much food in my stomach.”

 

“Tsk tsk. I told you that you need to slow down and eat less food if it bothers your tummy.”

 

“But it is so good.”

 

Her mother rolled her eyes and settled her attention on Clarke while Lexa rested her head on the table. “Lexa always becomes dramatic after eating a big meal, and thinks her stomach is going to burst at any moment.” She glanced towards Lexa, who just groaned. “She will learn one of these days.” She said as she slowly shook her head at her daughter.

 

Clarke laughed at the mother-daughter interaction. She could tell that her mom and Lexa’s mom would get along perfectly. “Thank you for dinner. It was so good. I too, can’t move right now.” Clarke patted her belly in affirmation.

 

“Ha, good! Now, what project is it that you are working on?” Clarke told her the project, and their difficulty in finding the perfect animal. “Did Lexa tell you, by chance, what my job is?”

 

“No.”

 

“I work for the forest service, as a law enforcement officer, or L-E-O as the government loves acronyms. I know a lot of people in the office, I could ask around for you girls.”

 

“That would be awesome! Thank you Mrs. – ”

 

“Oh, just call me Indra. But it is no problem at all. It gives me a good excuse to swing by the office instead of being out in the field all day. My body is getting too old for this line of work.”

 

She stood up to gather dishes, which Clarke quickly started to help. Indra shooed her away, ordering her and Lexa to return to homework. “I will bring up cobbler in a while.”

 

It was almost comical as Clarke had to coax Lexa off her chair and walk the very short distance to her room. Once back on the bed, Lexa vowed “I am never eating that much again.”

 

Twenty minutes later, a full, miserable Lexa was dramatically laying on her bed with her arm thrown over her eyes, as Clarke perused the internet on Lexa’s laptop. There really was no other animal option, and Clarke was almost starting to cede and choose the mountain king snake.

 

“I just really dislike snakes.”

 

“But the kingsnake looks badass.”

 

“We can’t choose a snake because it looks badass, Lexa.”

 

“A badass coloration could mean a badass role in the ecosystem, Clarke.”

 

“Language, Lexa!” Exclaimed Indra. She came in with two small plates, each nearly overflowing with cobbler and vanilla ice-cream.

 

At the sight of the cobbler Lexa immediately forgot about her miserable state and grabbed a plate from her mother, wasting no time in digging in. Clarke watched her in amazement, Indra shook her head and left the room.

 

“How is it you can eat so much and maintain that great body shape?” Clarke jealously asked.

 

Lexa smirked back. “I go hiking.”

 

Clarke groaned and took a bite of the cobbler to distract herself from a strange fluttering sensation somewhere around her heart. Her groan quickly turned into a low moan at the taste, and her eyes rolled shut. It was the best cobbler, and quite possibly the best desert she ever had.

 

The cobbler was so good, she did not hear a clattering of a spoon against a plate, nor did she notice that Lexa had gone completely silent and red cheeked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I have a rough idea of how and where to take this story, but I am open to any suggestions as well as constructive feedback (seriously, I love constructive criticism). I live in the mountains, so I don't have access to WiFi and cell phone coverage most days. I will post whenever I'm in range of the outside world.


End file.
